hula

play

noun hu·la \ ˈhü-lə \

variants: or less commonly hula-hula play \ˌhü-lə-ˈhü-lə\

Definition of hula

:a sinuous Polynesian dance characterized by rhythmic movement of the hips and mimetic gestures with the hands and often accompanied by chants and rhythmic drumming

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Recent Examples of hula from the Web

This popular no-charge event will take place at 4 p.m. on Sept. 28 and will include food, music, dancing, swimming and a hula contest.

— david laurell, Burbank Leader, "On the Town: Doggie Splash proves to be cool event for pooches and their owners," 14 Aug. 2017
But while some Vice employees were hula-hooping and tugging on a big rope, others were tweeting about their impending unemployment.

— adam k. raymond, Daily Intelligencer, "Vice Holds Field Day in Brooklyn As Dozens of Employees Are Laid Off," 21 July 2017
Kids and a few parents participated in a three-legged race, a hula hoop contest, blindfold races, a seed-spitting contest, a pie contest and sack races.

— tana r.h. stevenson, NOLA.com, "No fireworks? No problem for Pearl River Fourth of July celebration," 7 July 2017
Boisterous children bounced from hula hoop contests to a bike obstacle course, while grown-ups collected free produce from the local food bank.

— moriah balingit, Washington Post, "To reach hungry children in the summer, these school cafeterias moved outside," 29 June 2017
Nothing says summer fun like a hula hoop contest, tug of war competition and relay races.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "5 things to do for a family-friendly Fourth in San Diego," 28 June 2017
The hula hoop got its start in the United States in the late 1950s.

— kirby adams, USA TODAY, "This is not your mother's hula hoop," 24 June 2017
All of the prints were designed by O'Shea's friend and collaborator Benny Robinson—who also redesigned the Brioni logo for O'Shea—and featured zombie hula dancers, pot leaves, and pentagrams.

— noah johnson, GQ, "Justin O’Shea Debuts SSS World Corp With a Guerrilla Fashion Show in the Streets of Paris," 24 June 2017
Wham-O sold 25 million hula hoops in the first four months at $1.98 each.

— kirby adams, USA TODAY, "This is not your mother's hula hoop," 24 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hula.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

A sinuous Polynesian dance, the hula combines undulating movement of the hips and mimetic hand gestures. The dance is often accompanied by chants, drumming, and music played on instruments such as the ukulele. Originally a religious dance performed to praise the chiefs, contemporary hulas tell a story or describe a place, and are danced exclusively by women. The costume typically includes a raffia skirt with a lei (garland) around the neck.